The Bad Credit
by Madman007
Summary: Setting: 22 ABY - Han and Chewie are captured by a pirate gang and are confronted by their mysterious leader for a mission that they may be forced to take.
1. Part 1

**The Bad Credit**

 **Setting:** 22 ABY - Han and Chewie are captured by a pirate gang and are confronted by their mysterious leader for a mission that they may be forced to take.

* * *

 **Part 1**

Han Solo shook his head after the dark cloth was removed from his head. The guard was a Weequay, which was a common species to work for various pirate gangs. Han silently cursed. There was a time long ago when he could identify specific pirate gangs just by noting the ratty clothing they wore. It wasn't as clean cut these days. He looked down at the high tech binders around his wrists. He could hear his co-pilot behind him sleeping, which was evidence that their captors didn't attempt to bind a Wookie. The fact that Chewie was sleeping told Han that he may have been drugged.

Han sighed. Captured by insignificant pirates. Both he and Chewie were better than this. Or they used to be. Han had a lot on his mind lately. His twins were just beginning their journey to become Jedi at Luke's Academy on Yavin 4. Leia had just told him that they were now expecting a third child. That didn't excuse the fact that this pirate outfit managed to track them and capture them. One thing was for sure. He would never hear the end of this from his wife.

While the Weequay stood guard at the exit door, Han looked around at his surroundings. He noticed the usual desk of an office, but he also noticed artifacts of various kinds. Was it an office or a museum? Either way, it belonged to the leader of this pirate gang. But which one? And why did they capture Chewie and himself?

Too many questions.

He could hear muffled whines behind him. "Chewie? You all right, big guy?"

Chewie let out a series of low grunts in Shyriiwook.

"Drugged? I knew it. They got me in some fancy binders."

Chewie barked a question.

"Of course, you were drugged. No one wants to try to put binders on a Wookie. I was knocked out, but it was from the end of a blaster. They covered my head anyway. Guess they figured I'd know where we are."

Chewie whined.

"No, I don't. I'm working on it. All I figured out is that this is an office of the big wig of a pirate gang."

Chewie grunted.

"I don't know. Maybe Cavilhu. But that doesn't make sense. With the death of Zothip I can't see them interfering with the New Republic. That ambush with the fake Thrawn and Disra really did them in."

The Weequay suddenly barked something in his language at them.

"Sorry, buddy, we don't speak Idiot."

The Weequay shouted again but raised his blaster at them this time.

Han said back to Chewie, "Apparently, that was some sort of threat." Chewie shrugged. Han turned back to the guard. "Bit of advice, buddy, stick to guarding silently. You're no good at giving threats."

The door suddenly slid open and in walked a towering figure. It wore a dark, thin robe that stuck to its body. Ease of movement for fighting. It's armor was gold with black trim. Yet the primary feature was a metal helmet that was also gold in color. The grid around the mouth was angular, reminding Han of another familiar mask in his wife's family, though not nearly as profound. The eyes were deep set and blackened. The look was meant to intimidate. Han Solo was immune to intimidation.

Chewie whined a question. "We have a new guest," Han replied.

The figure came in to stand in front of Han. "Welcome to my office," it said through a vocoder, making its voice deep and mechanical. "I trust we made you comfortable."

"Oh, sure. These powerful binders are the same kind I use to relax at night. And Chewie here loves to be drugged to go to sleep. He's not angry at all."

Chewie let out a furious yell.

"See? Perfectly calm. Now, who are you and why are we here?"

Chewie grunted.

"Oh, yes, and what have you done with the _Falcon_?"

"Your ship is safe and in our hangar. As to my identity, I'm sure you've heard the name, Cordon Dayne."

Han thought a moment and his memory found the name. "Yeah, I've heard of you. You were a glorified killer with whichever crime syndicate or pirate gang paid you the most over the years."

"Correct. And for your final question, you both are here because I have a mission for you."

"A mission," Han almost choked. "Look, pal, in case you haven't followed my history lately, I don't do missions for freelance hacks anymore."

"Oh, I know your history, Han Solo. Maybe better than you know it yourself. You could say I have been following your career over the years."

"Great. I can add you to my collection of stalkers."

"Cut the charm, Solo. It won't work with me anymore."

Han noted the last word with curiosity. "Who are you?"

"You know who I am."

"Well, not really. I only said I heard of you. We never met."

"You never met Cordon Dayne."

Han paused in confusion. "Yeah. Right. That's you."

Dayne ignored Han and began to walk around the room. "The mission I have for you both involves the death of a pirate leader."

"Hey, I never kill anyone," Han retorted. "Not on purpose, anyway."

"I happen to know that is not true. You used to kill when you needed to. Whenever you felt betrayed, or thought you were about to be."

"I'm not that guy anymore."

"Of course not. You have a wife and children now, with another baby on the way."

Han looked stunned. "How did you know that? We haven't released information about the new baby to the public yet."

"I'm formidable in many skills. Gathering secret Intel is just one of them. And I'm not part of the public."

Chewie began a series of whines and grunts.

Dayne said, "Finally, someone who doesn't beat around the bush. Your co-pilot wants to know more about the mission."

"You speak Shyriiwook."

"Understand, yes. Speak, never. Don't worry. You won't be killing anyone. I'll do that. You two will be the distraction."

"And what's in it for us?"

Dayne seemed to laugh under his mask. "Proof that we have the legitimate Han Solo. I offer you and the New Republic credits. Tons of them. Something you both could use these days."

"And if we refuse?"

"Then you'll be signing both of your death warrants."

"So, you're bribing a member of the New Republic. Not to mention the Chief Of State's husband."

"It's not a bribe. It's a promise. One that I should have kept years ago."

Han squinted his eyes and asked again with more emphasis, "Who _are_ you?"

"A bad credit. I always turn up."

In a blur of motion, Dayne reached on his waist to reveal a long vibroblade, which he turned and threw at the Weequay. It dug deep into its abdomen and the alien squealed. It tried to sway forward toward its attacker, but it didn't have time. The Weequay soon collapsed to the floor and ceased to move anymore. Dead.

Han stared at the dead guard and then at Dayne. "Why did you do that?"

"Because I knew you couldn't."

Chewie barked.

"He killed the guard. Threw a knife right through its abdomen. Right where its heart is. It takes an assassin to know what part of an anatomy can kill instantly. You killed your own guard. Now I'm really confused."

Dayne replied, "He would have jeopardized the mission. I suspect you are confused. It's time to let you off the hook. You see, Han, I'm not entirely who you think I am. You keep asking who I am. But you know me, Han. You know me."

Dayne stood in front of Han and proceeded to take off the mask. Upon removal, Han could clearly see that Cordon Dayne was not a man, but a woman. She flopped her head around to loosen her short dark and grey-speckled hair. Once she faced him again, Han felt the spark of remembrance. She looked no different, apart from the grey hair and some added wrinkles in her face. His memory banks worked overtime on when he physically saw her the last time. So long ago.

"Hello, Qi'ra."

"Hello Han. It's been a long time."

* * *

tbc


	2. Part 2

**The Bad Credit**

 **Part II**

 _Qi'ra._

A name Han had not heard or thought of in decades. Yet, here she was before him. "Yes, it has been a long time," he said to her. "Next obvious statement. Oh, I know! You betrayed Chewie and I on Savareen all those years ago."

"I left you both with the coaxium, didn't I? I told Enfys Nest to save one vial for you."

"Enfys _knew_ you were leaving without us?"

"Han, _everyone_ knew except you." She glanced at the Wookie. "Sorry, Chewie, I can't speak for you."

Chewie whined a reply.

Han said back, exasperated, "You had a feeling? Great pal you are." He turned back to Qi'ra. "What else did you leave us with?"

Qi'ra went on. "I never mentioned your name to Maul. If I had, you wouldn't have been able to hide behind your Rebellion like you did with Jabba. There would have been nowhere in the galaxy to hide from Maul."

"I've been hunted before."

"Not like Maul would have. Jabba was child's play."

Chewie started growling a sentence.

Han said wryly, "I take you understood what Chewie would like to do to you once the drugs wear off. Wookies tend to hold nasty grudges."

"Neither of you should be angry at me. I saved both of you. Seems you two did well for yourselves over the years."

Han mumbled just loud enough for Qi'ra to hear. "We were going to have adventures together."

Qi'ra scoffed. "Like we had on Corellia? We were children, Han. And like all children, we had large dreams. Otherwise known as illusions."

"Fair enough. What happened to you over the years? I lost track."

"Meaning you never looked for me. You already know the history of Crimson Dawn. After Maul died, people were looking to me to lead. I'm no leader. Never was. They turned on me. They threatened to kill me, as if they could. I left them and created a new identity. And as a result, Crimson Dawn dissolved. I bounced around various crime syndicates and pirate gangs. I established an infamous reputation for being ruthless because of my abilities."

"You were an expert in Teräs Käsi if I recall."

"Still am." She paused as she bowed her head. "But I'm not proud of it. I discovered fairly recently that the reputation I built was eating at me. I was slowly disappearing, both figuratively and physically. I found that I wanted peace."

"You could have had that after Savareen."

Qi'ra smiled. "Still the dreamer. We would have never worked, Han. Even if you take away the fact that I was deep into Crimson Dawn, you and Chewie work better as a team. I saw it during your famous Kessel Run. I would have been a third wheel."

"Yeah, whatever you tell yourself. So, I guess this mission of yours is made up."

"No, it's real. That is, if you accept it."

"Then who is this leader you intend to kill?"

"I would have thought that was obvious. But no, I'm speaking to Han Solo, the most oblivious hero in the galaxy."

"Hey!"

"Sorry. We used to make fun of each other once upon a time."

"That was a lifetime ago, sweetheart."

"Of course, it was. Very well. The leader whom I'm eliminating is Cordon Dayne."

Han stared back at her with his mouth half open.

"Still confused? I plan to murder my alter ego. I can't stand it any longer. I sought you out because I thought you of all people would understand. You, Han, are now essentially the only one in the galaxy who knows the real me. Add to the fact that you always found a way to fulfill your goals even without a plan."

Han gave his famous crooked grin. "And how do you plan to off your better half?"

"As I said earlier, you two will be the distraction. We stage an escape with the help from your old girlfriend from Corellia."

"You were never my girlfriend."

"Whatever you tell yourself."

Chewie asked a question.

"No, they won't know me, Chewie. They've never even seen my true face. Mindar Pirates have never been known for their intelligence."

"All right," Han began, "say we do this. There's one problem." He looked down at his binders. "I'm at a slight disadvantage. Plus, we don't have our weapons."

Instead of replying to him, Qi'ra reached into her side pocket to reveal a short metallic wand with a blue light on the end. She proceeded to insert the light end into a slot on Han's binders and they released. As Han flexed his wrists, she went over to the opposite wall and depressed a button inset in the wall. A hidden compartment slid its door open revealing a multitude of various weapons. Mostly vibroblades and hand weapons with a few blasters. She reached in and fetched a bowcaster.

"Chewie, you awake enough to handle this?" She threw the weapon at him and he caught it without a problem. "I see the drugs are wearing off." She reached back into the compartment to grab a particular blaster. Han was already standing behind her. Before handing it to him, she examined it.

"An NN-14? Where's your famous DL-44?"

"Had it put in a museum."

She faked laughed. "Funny."

"I'm a funny guy. Or don't you remember?"

"I did." She handed him the blaster and said reflectively, "Beckett would have found that funny."

"Beckett would have found that _ironic_. Boy, there's a name I haven't said in a while." He looked back at the contents in the compartment. "You taking all of those?"

She sighed. "No, I won't really miss them. All I need is this." She held up a small silver cylinder no larger than a comlink.

Han deadpanned, "I'm scared already."

"You should be." She held the item sideways and it instantly transformed into a two meter long staff with sharp serrated edges at each end. "Now, let's go. We don't have much time."

"Fine." Han paused. "How do we start?"

Qi'ra shook her head. "See? No plan. Don't worry. I already have one. First thing for me is to get out of this outfit. And then destroy it. Say goodbye to Cordon Dayne, fellas.

"That shouldn't be hard."

"Except it has to look like Dayne was inside of it. No evidence of a body."

"You would have to have a powerful weapon to do that."

She reached back into the hidden compartment to fetch a N-500 heavy blaster cannon. "This will do. Now, excuse me while I change." She put down the blaster and headed to the refresher. She returned several minutes later wearing simple dark pants and a loose white shirt. She laid the Cordon Dayne costume in the desk chair. She then stood several meters away with the blaster cannon in hand. She raised to aim it at the chair and said, "Get ready, boys. Once this goes off, the alarms will sound. There's no turning back."

Han uttered, "Let's go."

Chewie roared his acknowledgement.

Qi'ra took aim at the chair with the ghost of Cordon Dayne sitting in it and fired. The blast was thunderous as predicted. The chair and the outfit were obliterated into thousands of pieces. The floor was a charred black from the burn mark. Among the debris was a piece of Dyane's mask. Qi'ra approached it and nudged it with her foot. "Goodbye, Cordon." She looked up at Han and Chewie and said, "Let's go. I'll lead."

Han and Chewie followed her out of the office and into the corridor with their respective weapons at the ready. A klaxon sounded but there was no one in the corridor. They ran further down the hall to greet two guards. Another Weequay and a Rodian quickly raised their blasters at them.

"Stop! All of you!" demanded the Rodian in broken Basic.

Qi'ra said, "Three against two. Could be pointless."

"Just wait until you see our leader."

"That wouldn't be Cordon Dayne, would it?" she asked.

"Yes. And he will see your doom."

"Too late. He's already seen his own doom. I killed him."

Sudden disbelief set in with the Rodian and then revenge took over. "Then you die!"

"You first," she said as she held out her converted staff and then lunged at them. She was a blur of motion as she twirled her weapon against the guards, killing them both with the sharp edges in an instant. Neither of them got a shot off. They both fell to the floor in pools of their own blood. She looked at Han. "Come on, this way." She ran down the hall.

"Sure," Han said. "We'll just back you up."

She led them further into the corridor and they eventually entered the hangar of the pirates' ship. They saw several pirates on guard, frantic as the klaxon continued.

Han suggested, "Any way we can just pass by them unnoticed?"

"No," Qi'ra replied. "I want them to notice."

"Oh. Sure. Why not? You know, you've become more reckless than I remembered."

She looked at him. "Again, I learned from the best. Let's go."

She walked freely straight into the hangar in full view of the pirates. Han and Chewie followed her cautiously. Han noticed she looked as confident as he'd ever saw her. Then again, that was decades in the past.

One of the pirates noticed not Qi'ra, but the prisoners that they captured hours earlier. The guard shouted in his alien language, thus alerting the others. Immediately, their blasters were aimed at them. That's when Qi'ra acted. She held her lethal staff in front of her, ready to attack. She sprinted towards them and in a flash, the pirates were no longer armed. The staff cut the weapons through like butter. With a few somersaults over the guards, they were no longer living. She gazed at the next group of pirates coming at them. "Han! Cover me!"

Han took out his blaster while Chewie did the same. There were hundreds of pirates now coming at them. Han and Chewie started shooting at them while Qi'ra dispatched several pirates with her staff. At some point during the battle, a human male dressed in a black protection vest came into the hangar through the same corridor that led to their former leader's office. He yelled over the sounds of blaster fire, "They killed Dayne! Kill them!"

The pirates found a new motivation and charged at their leader's murderers even harder. Yet, they were no match for Qi'ra's skills. Han continued firing but cried out to her, "We're not going to last long here! Even with you!"

"I know! The _Falcon_ 's behind you! Make your way over there!"

Han turned and saw the beautiful sight of his ship. All three of them moved their way towards the Falcon's ramp. When they were near, they all sprinted into the _Falcon_. Qi'ra killed a pirate before she ran up the ramp and shut it closed. Han scurried into the cockpit as Chewie sat next to him.

"Chewie, get those shields up. They're still firing at us." He started flipping switches and the engines started. "We'll have to cut to a dry start. Get us out of here, quick."

Qi'ra entered the cockpit with a wondrous expression on her face. It was her first time on the famous YT-1300 freighter in quite a while. She made a point to look directly at the cockpit ceiling in between both seats. And there they were. The same lucky dice that she herself was in possession of during her time with Dryden Vos. The memory of handing it back to Han on Kessel came back to her.

She uttered, "Well, this sure brings back memories."

"Not now," Han snapped as he flipped more switches and readied his hands on the throttle.

She looked around the small area and noticed the grunge and dirt all over the cockpit walls. "Han, what have you done to Lando's ship?"

This time, Han stopped all of his actions to turn and give her a lethal stare.

She countered. "All right, _your_ ship."

"If I remember right, you were no good to me here in the cockpit. Go back there and sit tight, sweetheart."

"Fine." She went back to the main area and sat in the booth in front of the Dejarik table. Soon she felt the ship lurch into space, and then the sudden pull into hyperspace. And then it suddenly dawned on her. _I'm free._ And of all the people in the galaxy, it was Han Solo who helped her.

* * *

tbc


	3. Part 3

**The Bad Credit**

 **Part 3**

Han finally returned to the main area of the _Millennium Falcon_ from the cockpit to see Qi'ra sitting in the booth. She was busy studying everything in the _Falcon_. And remembering.

She looked back at him and said, "You were gone awhile. All ok?"

He sat on the opposite side at the computer. "Yeah, I got the coordinates into the navi-computer and we'll be on Coruscant in no time. I wanted to make sure those pirates didn't mess up anything on the controls. I like to keep things in shape on _my_ ship."

"Yeah, I think each of our definitions of 'in shape' may be different. Seriously, Han, haven't you even heard of cleaning? Why keep this ship looking like a junk heap?"

"Because expectations are lowered when you first look at her. Once she performs, people are that much more impressed."

She chuckled. "You still have an ego the size of a star cruiser."

"It's got me where I am today, sweetheart."

"And look where that is. A family man. A hero of the Rebellion. Two kids about to begin their journey to becoming Jedi. A wife who happens to be Chief Of State for the New Republic, not to mention the sister of the first Jedi Master in decades."

"Aw, stop. But keep going if you want."

She smiled. "You remember I once told you that I know who you really are? The good guy. And here you are today, proving my point."

"Trust me, it's not what it's cracked up to be. I guess I had to find that out for myself. I wasn't exactly self-aware back then."

Qi'ra turned sarcastic. "What? Han Solo wasn't always self-aware? Noooo. I can't believe it."

"Laugh it up. Seriously, you were self-aware enough for all of us."

"Please, I only got into a situation that I couldn't get out of."

"Because of me."

"No, Han. We tried to escape Corellia together. You got away. I didn't. Dryden put me in a corner and gave me a choice that I couldn't refuse. My decision to join his syndicate was mine alone without any input from you."

Han's memory banks worked overtime. "I thought you said he saved you and you owed him your life."

She scoffed. "That was my young version talking. That's what I told myself then. I was successful in convincing myself to believe that rubbish."

"Still, you could have gotten out of it. _If_ you had asked for help."

"Oh, you mean my heroes, Han Solo and Chewbacca, to the rescue? You may have had a chance with Dryden. You wouldn't have gotten far with Maul." She paused before asking, "Do you know of Maul's history before Crimson Dawn?"

"Only rumors."

"He was a Sith Lord at one time. You know, the opposite of Jedi."

"That was one of the rumors."

"So, you see, you and Chewie couldn't have helped me get away from Maul."

"I could have had some help there too."

"Oh, yes. Your friendship with the Jedi Master."

"I believe Luke would have given Maul a run for his money."

She nodded. "The son of Darth Vader and Maul. That I would have liked to have seen."

"And there are others in my own family who could have helped."

"Your Jedi family. Better watch out, Solo, or you'll start to leave a legacy." She slumped in the booth. "Must be nice."

Han made a face. "You're not going to go all martyr on me like you used to on Corellia?"

She smiled back. "A martyr wouldn't have the courage enough to leave a life they've known for decades."

"If you can call killing and dealing with crime lords a life."

"You and Chewie were in a similar life before your, uh...shall we say your calling."

"Yeah, well, I had people around me that helped me out of that life."

She got up out of the booth and started walking around. "I found my way out of that life, too. It took me quite a bit longer. I had no one around me to tell me how. Including myself."

"You hung around the wrong people, baby. At the time I joined the Rebellion, I thought it was the most embarrassing situation I'd ever been in."

She glanced back at him with a smirk. "I _seriously_ doubt that."

"Ok, maybe not the _most_ embarrassing. I just know that the Smuggler Solo would look at the Family Solo and just laugh."

"Amazing what time can do to change people." She walked by an alcove that looked to be an old doorway to a closet. She opened the door to see it full of old child toys and unused diapers in stacks. "Speaking of laughs, didn't this used to be Lando's closet of capes?"

Han chuckled. "You know I actually forgot that. Probably because I had no capes to put in there."

She shook her head in disbelief. "Well, Han, I love what you _haven't_ done to the _Falcon_ over the years."

A monitor beeped on the computer nearby Han and he said, "Ah, home awaits." He stood.

Qi'ra reflected, "I wouldn't know. I don't have a home."

"So you've gone from Martyr Queen to the Pity Princess."

She glared at him and smiled. "I learned from the best."

"Cute. You may have to get ready."

"For what? A new beginning?"

"No. To meet my wife."

Soon they were coasting through the hustle and bustle of the Coruscant traffic. Han made the preparations to land at the platform designated only for the Solo and Skywalker families. As he approached, he could see his wife dressed in her casual white Chief Of State uniform. Along with her were members of her Council.

Chewie barked a warning.

Han replied, "I know. Something tells me Leia's going to make a big deal about this. You know, because she's _never_ overblown anything before."

Chewie whined.

Han grinned. "After all these years, I'd thought you'd know how to spot sarcasm, buddy."

Chewie growled a reply.

Han said sheepishly, "Oh. Maybe _I_ should start spotting sarcasm, then."

He got up and greeted Qi'ra at the ramp entrance. "Last chance, kiddo. You sure you don't want to bail? Leia can be brutal."

"I've heard the stories."

Han chuckled. "They're not stories, sweetheart."

After they landed, they exited the ramp with Chewie keeping up from behind them. Leia and her entourage walked closer to greet them. As soon as he got close enough, Han addressed his wife.

"Hi, honey. Sorry I'm late."

She glanced at her husband with the same casual disdain. "I should have suspected. There's never a mission simple enough where you don't end up captured."

Qi'ra spoke up. "I'm afraid that would be my doing, your highness."

Leia looked at Qi'ra with a skeptical glance. "Nice touch with the title. Although, that designation was part of my former self. And to whom am I addressing? Cordon Dayne, is it?"

Qi'ra smiled in admiration. "Not anymore. That was part of _my_ former self. My name is Qi'ra and I am from Corellia. Han and I grew up together there."

Han added, "Me and Qi'ra go way back."

Leia glanced at Han. "I've heard _that_ before." She looked back at Qi'ra and said, "My husband has told me somewhat about you over the years. Including the fact that you were second in command of the infamous crime syndicate named Crimson Dawn."

Qi'ra frowned and replied, "Unfortunately, this is the truth. I have no excuses for my behavior in the past. I come before you to seek asylum in the New Republic. In exchange, I offer a multitude of credits that I have secured over the years."

Leia slowly walked up to Qi'ra more closely and said, "Money? You offer money for the numerous deaths that you were personally involved with or indirectly played a hand in?"

Qi'ra visibly gulped. "It is the only thing I have to offer."

Leia smirked. "Oh, I think there's something else you can offer. Guards! Arrest this woman."

* * *

tbc


	4. Part 4

**The Bad Credit**

 **Part 4**

* * *

Qi'ra couldn't begin to count how many times she had been imprisoned in her lifetime. That number would be astronomical. Yet, they were not always the result of an illegal act. Sometimes it was necessary to be put in prison to get closer to certain targets already in prison. Putting those instances aside, she also didn't want to add up the times she had been arrested because that meant counting her mistakes. And there were a greater number of those over the years.

She was now contemplating her latest mistake. She didn't know if it was underestimating Han Solo's wife with involving her in her escape from her previous life. Or was it offering the Chief Of State merely credits in exchange for her asylum. The former princess suggested that she could offer more. Qi'ra didn't know what that would be.

Her chance to ask Leia came when a door slid open and in walked in the Chief Of State. She approached Qi'ra inside the cell. Leia Organa Solo merely stood there silently watching Qi'ra.

Qi'ra broke the silence. "Well, this is surely one way to treat your guests."

Leia's voice was even but stern. "You're not a guest. You're someone from Han's past. You're lucky I only put you in a cell."

"So it's out of jealously that I'm sitting in here? How amusing."

"No. You're under arrest for the numerous allegations against you while you assumed the identity of Cordon Dayne. Not to mention the accusations you accumulated while you were second-in-command of Crimson Dawn."

"Oh. Those. Would it matter that I'm actually seeking asylum to the New Republic?"

"We have several asylums that we can commit you to."

"Cute. Han's humor has rubbed off on you, I see."

Leia stayed silent.

"All right," Qi'ra began, "the old silent treatment. Maybe this is how you treat Han's old girlfriends."

"Han never considered you to be one of his girlfriends."

"Maybe we were more. You know how secretive Han can be about his past."

"Which is why I stopped asking about it years ago."

Qi'ra edged closer to the metal bars of the cell. She spoke sweetly. "Then I guess it would be no surprise to you that Solo is not Han's real name. He never had a surname on Corellia. So that means, Leia Organa _Solo,_ you've been living a lie."

Leia grinned. "You can stop your manipulation techniques. They won't work on me. I can tell you're scared."

Qi'ra frowned. "Yeah, you and your brother's Jedi tricks."

"And for the record, Han told me years ago that his name was given to him by an Imperial recruiter when he joined the Academy. By the way, what is _your_ surname, Qi'ra? Do all Corellians only go by one name?"

Qi'ra nodded and gave a sigh. "Now that the games are over, let's talk business. I have over a million credits secured in my own secret account. Why can't you accept my money?"

"Because if I accepted money from you, it would look like a bribe."

"Should have thought of that before you threw me in here."

"Do you really believe that credits are enough to buy freedom from your past crimes?"

"You don't think I deserve that freedom?"

"Do you?"

Qi'ra smiled. She was impressed. There were many in the galaxy with whom she could manipulate and intimidate. Granted, most of them were all male. Once in a while she came across those who could challenge her. Leia Organa was one of them. "What will buy my freedom other than money?"

"Your knowledge." On seeing Qi'ra's confusion, Leia explained, "You would do the galaxy a great service by exposing those in the high levels of several crime syndicates. I'm sure someone of your stature would have inside knowledge of these individuals and bring them to justice. _That_ buys your freedom."

Qi'ra thought for just a moment and then uttered a quick, "Done."

Leia squinted her eyes at the woman. "Just like that? I'm not sensing any apprehension from you."

"And you won't, Jedi. I will help you."

Leia took a long time to reply, "Why?"

Qi'ra almost chuckled. She had rarely encountered such an intelligent woman. "You are probably the only leader I've come across who questions their own demands when they are actually being met."

Leia shrugged "Call me skeptical."

"A skeptical Jedi. Interesting."

"I am not a Jedi. My brother has taught me a few things in the Force, but not to the level of Jedi."

"Saving that level for your children?"

Leia shot back, "You're evading my question."

"Not really." Qi'ra started pacing around in her cell. "Why would I help you track some of the worst criminals in the galaxy? I could say that I call to a higher sense of morality since I shed my alter ego. But that would be undignified enough for both of us. No member of the Mindar pirate gang ever saw my face under the mask of Cordon Dayne. Now that Dayne is reported dead, there can be no leaks leading to me."

"What about members of Crimson Dawn?"

Qi'ra scoffed. "Contrary to popular belief, Crimson Dawn no longer exists. The former members are either dead or too old to remember anything."

"Han told me how you first got involved with them. You speak about hating that life, but I don't feel your remorse because of it. You learned Teräs Käsi and you've used it. Maybe your victims were deserving of their deaths. Maybe some weren't. You convinced yourself that you could never escape. But you could have. Much earlier. If you had only reached out to us."

Qi'ra shook her head. "You don't know what Maul was like. He was ruthless. Vindictive."

Leia countered with, "I was tortured by Darth Vader himself, who turned out to be my biological father. Don't try to play the victim with me, Qi'ra. As for Maul, you could have had my brother on your side. As I understand it, what Luke told me from the ancient holocrons, Luke's own mentor was responsible for Maul's...uh, predicament from the waist down."

"Please. There wasn't a day that I was with Maul when I didn't hear him curse the name, Kenobi."

"You see? We had a common enemy in Maul. We could have worked together." Leia paused. "But you didn't. You stayed with him in Crimson Dawn where it was safe in your violent world. Maybe you just didn't want to leave."

Qi'ra could tell there was something dark underneath Leia's voice. It was something she picked up earlier as well. Qi'ra enhanced her ability to read beings over the years. She got so good at it that Maul would say she could get more information out of a prisoner with her instinct than any torture could. She edged closer to the bars of the cell. She asked Leia in a whisper, "What did I do to you? Who did I hurt? Or worse?"

Leia gave a quick smile of admiration. Then she frowned and bowed her head. "Years ago...oh, this was before the Rebellion settled on Hoth, there was an explosion of a facility on Borleias. It was never proven to be a Crimson Dawn act, but nothing they did ever was. Hundreds were killed. Most notably were a group of politicians who were indirectly connected to a spice cartel. There were some innocents who died there, too. One of them, I found out later, was a childhood friend of mine from Alderaan."

Leia took a breath before continuing. "When I found out that she didn't die on Alderaan after its destruction, I considered her to be lucky. We made contact through holovids and promised each other we would meet again in person someday. That day never happened. And it would never happen again. She didn't seem so lucky anymore."

Qi'ra gulped and allowed a hush pass, almost as a memorial to Leia's friend. She then replied in a low voice. "I remember that detonation. It _was_ a Crimson Dawn hit, as you thought. It was a competitor that Maul needed to _retire_. I'm so sorry. Although, I wasn't involved directly."

Leia suddenly lunged at the metal bars and grabbed them with both hands, making Qi'ra jump back. "But you _were_ involved," Leia cried out. "You were a part of Crimson Dawn that killed my friend."

Qi'ra answered absently, "No. That was someone else. You were right before. I did convince myself that I could never escape. I accepted that life without truly knowing what it was doing to me. I lost myself because of it. I was trapped for so long, first with Dryden Vos and then with Maul. I followed orders blindly in order to survive."

"Funny, my sister-in-law once gave the same excuse."

"Then I am in good company." Qi'ra paused and said, "You've seen me as your enemy, Leia. And it has nothing to do with Han. But I am not your enemy. I am an enemy only to myself. And _that_ is why I want to make amends."

With that, Leia closed her eyes and calmed herself in the Force. She let go of the bars. She reflected as she said, "One of the lessons in the Force is that a Jedi only knows the Force when they are calm. And they never set out for revenge. They don't see their adversaries as either good or evil." She looked up at Qi'ra. "Or as enemies. I'm so sorry, Qi'ra. Ever since my friend died all those years ago I've never met a member of Crimson Dawn."

Qi'ra connected the dots. "Now that I show up, you finally found someone to blame. I get it. More than you know."

Leia cleared her throat and then her mind away from the anger she was feeling. She said to Qi'ra, "Very well. I will see to it that you confer with our strategist to discuss the details of the crime syndicate leaders."

"You do realize that some leaders may be politically tied, so they may not be able to be touched."

"We'll see about that. I'm not the Chief Of State for nothing. You see, we can work together."

"Now if we can only get Han to clean the inside of the _Falcon_."

Leia frowned again. "Oh Qi'ra, my dear, there are a few impossible things to do in this galaxy. And that's one of them."

"Too bad. I remember those walls as white as they could be."

"White?" gasped Leia.

"Yes. As white as your gown. Of course, the _Falcon_ was owned by Lando the last time I was on it."

"And there's the difference. We'll also discuss your monetary offer of credits, too. After that, we'll talk about setting you up with a new identity. One that has no ties to the crime underworld."

"Of course. Thank you. Your kindness is appreciated." She paused and then said, "Although, kindness isn't exactly a Solo trait."

"No," Leia said back. "It's a Skywalker trait."

* * *

tbc


End file.
